1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to local communication networks and, more particularly, to wireless short message communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The availability of various types of wireless communication devices produces a need to have these devices interact with each other in a manner which is cost efficient and which can be easily implemented. Such communication can occur in GSM systems using SMS wherein short messages are communicated directly between two or more terminal devices, such as mobile stations, e.g. telephones, PDAs, etc. Terminal devices can also communicate with each other using infrared signals or radio frequency (RF) signals.
Recently, low power RF systems have been proposed for providing communications between a plurality of transceivers through a short-range radial link having a broadcast range of several meters. One such local RF system is currently under development and is referred to as xe2x80x9cBluetoothxe2x80x9d. This system will be commercially available in the near future and is designed to operate in the open spectrum, around 2.4 gigahertz. The Bluetooth system will allow for devices such as mobile phones, computers, and other types of terminal devices which are located within an operable range of the RF system to communicate with each other.
Wireless relay networks also exist which, in effect, extend an operating range of a local RF system by utilizing relay devices to interface with and provide communication between two or more terminal devices. Such a network is disclosed in PCT Application No. WO 98/17032, wherein a plurality of communication nodes are wirelessly connected to each other and to a host device for providing numerous communication links for data to be communicated between the host and terminal devices interfaced with the nodes. Such systems do not, however, make transmission of communications dependant on a location of an intended recipient, which is a desired and worthwhile feature in many circumstances.
The present invention is directed to a short messaging service for use with one or more information transceiver beacons. The beacons have a corresponding local geographic operating area defining a region in which the beacon can wirelessly communicate with a terminal device contained in the operating area. A short message is stored on a subject beacon for receipt by one or more intended recipients. When a terminal device of an intended recipient enters the operating area of the subject beacon, the message is transmitted by the beacon to the terminal device. The beacons may be stand alone devices or may be incorporated in a wireless local area network having a plurality of wireless transceiver beacons in communication with each other.
In a preferred embodiment, the stored short message may contain a security access feature to allow access only to one or more intended recipients, which may be accomplished by entering a security code in the terminal device of the intended recipient to the beacon. The message may be transferred from a terminal device directly to a subject beacon, or indirectly via a first beacon or a host in communication with the subject beacon, or from a device outside of the network by accessing a beacon or the network through a corresponding access address.
In another preferred embodiment, the message may contain a time limitation parameter for establishing a time period during which the message will be available. In the event transmission does not occur within the preset time period, the message will be deleted. If successful transmission occurs within the time period, the message will also be deleted.
In still another preferred embodiment, the message may be a public message accessible by any recipient that enters the operating region of the beacon. Such a message may be used, for example, in advertising by conveying information concerning a promotional offer by a particular retail establishment located in the operating region of the beacon.
In yet another embodiment, a message may be broadcast to a promotional offer by a in communication with each other and the message will be transmitted from any one of the plurality of the beacons to an intended recipient device when the intended device is detected within a transmission area of any of the plurality of beacons. Once the message is successfully transmitted, it will be removed from all of the beacons in the plurality.